VSAC to open college savings accounts for babies born on ‘529 Day’

Every baby born at a VT hospital May 29 to receive a $100 VHEIP account

WINOOSKI (May 1, 2017) – Lucky babies born May 29 in Vermont will receive $100 deposit into a Vermont 529 college savings account opened in his or her name by the Vermont Student Assistance Corp.

The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems is joining VSAC, which administers Vermont’s 529 college savings plan, to help educate Vermont families about saving for college for their children.

“Vermont’s hospitals are deeply rooted in the communities they serve, providing excellent health care and improving the quality of life of Vermonters,” said VAHHS President and CEO Jeffrey Tieman. “Our partnership with VSAC on 529 Day is yet another opportunity to make our state a better place to live, work and play.”

A 529 plan is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. It is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which created these types of savings plans in 1996. 

Vermont’s 529 college savings plan, called the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan, helps families put a child’s college education within reach. With VHEIP, you can open an account with just $25 or give a gift of any amount. And as you contribute to a Vermont 529 account, you can benefit with a Vermont state income tax credit and other tax advantages. 

Research shows that children with college savings are three times more likely to attend college and four times more likely to graduate than children with no college savings.

“College savings accounts are clearly a powerful tool,” said Scott Giles, president and CEO of VSAC. “We want to encourage parents to open a VHEIP account and get started early to save for college. The ideal time to begin saving is between birth and age 5 in order to allow your investment to build over time.”

Also, parents of newborns can encourage family and friends to contribute to their child’s VHEIP account through e-gifting. “Family and friends can make significant contributions to a child’s college savings account over time through birthday, holiday and graduation gifts,” Giles said. E-gifting makes it easy to contribute to a VHEIP account online and the valuable gift will last a lifetime.